Flexible metal pipe connection



Jan. l5, 1935. c. A. KIEL FLEXIBLE METAL PIPE CONNECTION Filed Sept. A9, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 15, 1935. c. A. KIEL FLEXIBLE METAL PIPE CONNECTION File'd sept. 9, 193s 2 sheets-sheet 2` wv c/wbo'rl diemen@ Alberi Kiel Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES FLEXIBLE METAL PIPE CONNECTION Clemens Albert Kiel, Louisville, Ky assigner of one-hal! to James V. Rowland, Louisville, Ky.

Application September 9, 1933, Serial No. 688,856

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a flexible metal pipe connection for coupling together the steam and other fluid lines or conduits of two adjacent railway or other vehicles of a train. Such a con- -5 nection is particularly adapted for use in connection with the uniting of the steam lines between railway passenger cars.

ARubber hose connections have been largely used for coupling together the steam lines and other fluid lines such as above mentioned, but these have in a short period of time deteriorated to such an extent that they had to be replaced. Furthermore when so deteriorated they become dangerous to trainmen or other persons who happen to be in close proximity thereto.

Attempts have also been made to provide metal connections for lines of this sort, but great diillculty has been found in providing for such a connection the necessary flexibility to allow for movement between the cars during their use as well as to -allow for necessary movement in coupling and uncoupling the cars.

-It is'therefore an object of this invention to provide a flexible pipe connection of the type set` forth which may be formed of metal or other substantially 'rigid material, and to provide the same with suiliclent flexible yet durable and satisfa'ctory joints for the purpose of allowing the 30 movement above referred to.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of this invention is set 35 forth by way of illustration and example.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of two complete units illustrating the manner in which it is utilized for coupling together the iluid lines of two adja- 40 cent cars.

Figure 2 is'a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along th line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings numerals 1 and 2 indicate the respective ends of' a pair of .railway vehicles. To the lower side of each oi these vehicles is secured a stirrup or other supporting member 3 by means of bolts 4' or the like. These stirrups 3, of which any desired number may be supplied are adapted to support the steam mains 5 customarily provided for cars of this type.

The cars 1 and 2 are adapted tobe operated i in the customary manner upon the rails 6 each car is a downwardly extending nipple 9 forming the male portion or male fitting of a flexible joint. This male fitting is adapted to i5 fit within the female tting 10, and is provided at its inner end with an outwardly extending ange 11 having an inclined or conical seat 12 thereon. The female fitting 10 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 13 having a 20 bearing seat 14 thereon adapted to receive the seat 12 on the flange 11. The male fitting ex'- tends into the female fitting past the inwardly extending flange so that the pressure of iluid within the connection will tend to force the '2l outwardly extending flange 11 against the bearing seat 14. The female member is provided with a packing box 15 adapted to receive the packing 16 for the purpose of preventing leak'- age through the joint between the male and it) female members. 'Ihe packing 16 is held in place by means of the gland 17 which is in tum secured to the female fitting by means of bolts 18 passing through ears 19 von the female fitting and threadedly engaging ears 20 on the gla'nd as I5 illustrated at 21. The bolts 18 are provided with hexagonal or other suitable heads 22"s o that they may be tightened up to compress the pack; ing 16 by any desired amount.

The end of the female acting 1o which is oppe- 40 site the gland 17 is provided with an opening of suflicient size to admit the outwardly ex tending'ilange l1 on the male member, and is internally threaded at 23 to receive the upper end of a casting 24. The upper end of this casting is provided with an opening 25 which is of'substantially the same size as the opening 26 through the male fitting 9. This leaves a shoulder 27 which is disposed closely adjacent the outwardly extending flange 11 when the 50 parts are assembled as illustrated in Figure 3 whereby the flange 11 is held in close relation with respect to the bearing seat 14 even when there is no fluid pressure within the connection. The casting 24 forms the female portion of 55 lug on said elbow in alignment with the interengaging parts of said male and female members, a projection on said female member forming a bearing for rotatably supporting said lug, whereby said male and female members will be positively maintained in proper alignment with each other and means on said lug engaging the outer surface of said projection to draw and hold the outwardly projected flange on the male member in close relationship with respect to said bearing seat when the fluid in the connection is not under pressure.

2. In a flexible pipe coupling, a female member having an oiset portion provided with a transverse opening and also having an oppositely oilset projecting arm having an aperture axially alined with the said opening, the wall of said opening having an inwardly projecting annular danse bevelled on its inner and outer faces, a

male'member having one end extending into said opening and provided with an external bevelled annular flange, the bevelled face of whichvabuts the inner bevelled face of Vsaid inwardly projecting flange, packing: against the outer face of said inwardlyV projecting flange, a gland around the male member abutting said packing, an elbow threaded in connection with the other end of said male member and having a cylindrical lug projecting therefrom within the said aperture of said arm, and a screw threaded into the outer end of said lug, and abutting the said arm to draw the end flange of the male member snugly against the said inner ilange of the female member to insure against leakage when the fluid in the connection is not under pressure.l

CLEMENS ALBERT KIEL. 

